By Avenash Ramzan
The Malteenoes Sports Club’s annual cricket academy got off to a bright start on Monday morning with a huge turnout of boys and girls, accompanied by their parents, at the Thomas Lands club.
For the next two weeks, the youngsters will be edified on the fundamentals of the sport, as well as critical life skills.
The academy, which is an annual undertaking by the club, will capture a wide range of topics, with specific focus on cricket development. Apart from practical sessions outdoor, there will be classroom-like sessions dealing with topical issues.
Malteenoes Sports Club executive, Neil Barry, urged the participants to grasp the wealth of knowledge that would be shared at the event.
He said that while the main aim is to produce cricketers, it is not the sole purpose, as developing well-rounded individuals who can positively contribute to Guyana’s growth and development is also key.
Barry told the gathering at the official opening on Monday that the academy over the years has churned out some top quality players, among them former Guyana and West Indies captain Ramnaresh Sarwan, and national players Azeemul Haniff, Ricardo Mohamed and Steven Jacobs.
Minister with responsibility for Sport and Social Cohesion, Dr. George Norton, delivered feature remarks at the opening. He said the Ministry, and by extension the government, is committed to youth development, hence its support of the event.
Dr. Norton encouraged the youths to make maximum use of the opportunity to not only learn the intricacies of the game, but also other critical issues that would be discussed over the coming weeks.
The cricket coaching aspect of the academy would be conducted by seasoned coach, Orin Bailey, who said the intention is to furnish the participants with the basics of the game.
At the end of the academy, the youngsters have the option of seeking membership with the Malteenoes Sports Club to further improve their skills.
